A deep upper low was moving through the northeast United States, while a semi-permanent upper low was located across the southwest United States. Arctic air enveloped much of the central and southern Plains.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS FFC wrote it up.
A deep upper low was moving through the northeast United States, while a semi-permanent upper low was located across the southwest United States. Arctic air enveloped much of the central and southern Plains. A strong cold front, associated with the northeast U.S. upper low, was sweeping through the southeast U.S. A large area of showers and thunderstorms accompanied the front. While none of the thunderstorms became severe, frequent lightning was observed in the stronger storms.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Atlanta, GA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 2, 1:35 AM EST, 1 hour 40 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 135 AM EST WED FEB 2 2011 .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1027 PM EST TUE FEB 1 2011/ UPDATE... WILL ISSUE A QUICK UPDATE TO LOWER POPS IN THE NW CORNER OF THE STATE AND TO RAISE TEMPS/DEWPOINTS IN CENTRAL GA TO REFLECT THE SLOWLY-ADVANCING WARM FRONT EXTENDING FROM CARROLLTON TO FORSYTH TO DUBLIN TO VIDALIA. EXPECT WEDGE TO REMAIN SOLIDLY IN PLACE ACROSS MOST OF NORTH GA...SO WARM AIR ADVECTION WILL ONLY WARM CENTRAL GA FOR THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. COLD FRONT EXPECTED TO ENTER THE STATE FROM THE WEST STARTING AROUND 06Z AND EVENTUALLY SWEEPING OUT THE WEDGE BY 15Z. IN THE MEANTIME...QLCS THREAT HAS DECREASED IN WESTERN GA TONIGHT...BUT STILL EXISTS IN WARM SECTOR AND ALONG WARM FRONT. THREAT SHOULD SLOWLY DIMINISH THERE THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. 27 PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 700 PM EST TUE FEB 1 2011/ SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/... THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM PROGRESSED INTO THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY BY 18Z TODAY AND WILL CONTINUE ON ITS TREK TO THE NORTHEAST. MODELS SEEM TO HAVE REASONABLE AGREEMENT IN THEIR SOLUTIONS WITH PUSHING COLD FRONT THROUGH STATE OVERNIGHT TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY MORNING. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER FOR PORTIONS OF WESTERN GA...THOUGH THE CAPES RANGE AROUND 200+JOULES/KG. HOWEVER...WE WILL BE IN A HIGH SHEAR AREA AS THE FRONT NEARS THE CWA...WHICH COULD BE THE NEEDED ELEMENT FOR PRODUCING SEVERE WEATHER TONIGHT. THE PASSAGE OF THE FRONT WILL BRING BRISK NORTHWEST WINDS INTO THE AREA OVERNIGHT TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. THE PASSAGE OF THE FRONT WILL ALSO YIELD CLEARING SKIES WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. HOWEVER...A WAVE RIDING ALONG THE FRONT WILL BRING CLOUDS AND A CHANCE FOR MORE RAIN THURSDAY INTO THURSDAY NIGHT. AS THE RAIN SPREADS NORTHWARD AND MOS HAVING TEMPERATURES NEAR FREEZING...A WINTRY MIX IS POSSIBLE. ALL DEPENDING UPON WHETHER THE MOISTURE REACHES THE AREA DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. LONG TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... MODELS DEVELOP THE WAVE INTO A WEAK LOW OVER THE EASTERN GULF TO SPREAD THE CHANCE OF RAIN NORTHWARD FRIDAY...THEN A DRIER AIR MASS RETURNS SATURDAY AS A HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVES EASTWARD FROM THE SOUTHWEST. A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE UPPER GREAT LAKES SWINGS A COLD FRONT INTO THE WESTERN TENNESSEE VALLEY SUNDAY...BRINGING SOME MOISTURE TO THE AREA...BUT THE BEST CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION WILL BE TUESDAY AS THE LOW DROPS INTO THE OHIO VALLEY AND THE FRONT WORKS ITS WAY THROUGH THE SOUTHEAST. && AVIATION... 06Z UPDATE... VSBYS AND EVEN CIGS HAVE IMPROVED OVER NORTH AND CENTRAL GA IN THE WAKE OF LINE OF TSRA. NEAR IFR CIGS JUST TO THE WEST OF US HOWEVER WHICH IS ALSO INDICATED IN MODEL PROGS. WILL CONTINUE WITH 1500FT CIGS IN MOST AREAS UNTIL 15Z OR SO WHEN COLD FRONT SHOULD PUSH SIGNIFICANTLY DRIER AIR INTO THE AREA. WITH THE STRONG LOW LEVEL COLD ADVECTION W TO WNW WINDS WILL BE STRONG AND GUSTY 15G25KT IN MOST AREAS TODAY ONCE THE CIGS GO SCT THIS MORNING. //ATL CONFIDENCE...06Z UPDATE... MEDIUM CONFIDENCE IN TIMING AND AMOUNT OF NEAR IFR CIGS THIS MORNING. HIGH CONFIDENCE IN ALL OTHER ELEMENTS. SNELSON && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... ATHENS 31 48 35 46 / 5 20 60 80 ATLANTA 29 45 35 46 / 5 20 60 70 BLAIRSVILLE 23 46 30 47 / 5 10 20 70 CARTERSVILLE 24 45 33 46 / 5 20 50 70 COLUMBUS 32 44 36 47 / 20 50 80 70 GAINESVILLE 29 47 35 46 / 5 20 50 70 MACON 34 45 40 47 / 20 50 80 80 ROME 23 46 31 47 / 0 10 30 70 PEACHTREE CITY 26 45 35 45 / 5 30 60 70 VIDALIA 40 44 42 53 / 30 50 80 90 && .FFC WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: BALDWIN...BANKS...BARROW...BARTOW...BIBB...BLECKLEY... BUTTS...CARROLL...CATOOSA...CHATTAHOOCHEE...CHATTOOGA... CHEROKEE...CLARKE...CLAYTON...COBB...COWETA...CRAWFORD...CRISP... DADE...DAWSON...DEKALB...DODGE...DOOLY...DOUGLAS...EMANUEL... FANNIN...FAYETTE...FLOYD...FORSYTH...GILMER...GLASCOCK... GORDON...GREENE...GWINNETT...HALL...HANCOCK...HARALSON... HARRIS...HEARD...HENRY...HOUSTON...JACKSON...JASPER... JEFFERSON...JOHNSON...JONES...LAMAR...LAURENS...LUMPKIN... MACON...MADISON...MARION...MERIWETHER...MONROE...MONTGOMERY... MORGAN...MURRAY...MUSCOGEE...NEWTON...NORTH FULTON...OCONEE... OGLETHORPE...PAULDING...PEACH...PICKENS...PIKE...POLK... PULASKI...PUTNAM...ROCKDALE...SCHLEY...SOUTH FULTON...SPALDING... STEWART...SUMTER...TALBOT...TALIAFERRO...TAYLOR...TELFAIR... TOOMBS...TOWNS...TREUTLEN...TROUP...TWIGGS...UNION...UPSON... WALKER...WALTON...WARREN...WASHINGTON...WEBSTER...WHEELER... WHITE...WHITFIELD...WILCOX...WILKES...WILKINSON. && 13
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 549 AM EST TUE FEB 1 2011 GAZ001>009-011>016-019>025-027-030>039-041>062-066>076-078>086- 089>098-102>113-021100- BALDWIN-BANKS-BARROW-BARTOW-BIBB-BLECKLEY-BUTTS-CARROLL-CATOOSA- CHATTAHOOCHEE-CHATTOOGA-CHEROKEE-CLARKE-CLAYTON-COBB-COWETA- CRAWFORD-CRISP-DADE-DAWSON-DEKALB-DODGE-DOOLY-DOUGLAS-EMANUEL- FANNIN-FAYETTE-FLOYD-FORSYTH-GILMER-GLASCOCK-GORDON-GREENE- GWINNETT-HALL-HANCOCK-HARALSON-HARRIS-HEARD-HENRY-HOUSTON-JACKSON- JASPER-JEFFERSON-JOHNSON-JONES-LAMAR-LAURENS-LUMPKIN-MACON- MADISON-MARION-MERIWETHER-MONROE-MONTGOMERY-MORGAN-MURRAY- MUSCOGEE-NEWTON-NORTH FULTON-OCONEE-OGLETHORPE-PAULDING-PEACH- PICKENS-PIKE-POLK-PULASKI-PUTNAM-ROCKDALE-SCHLEY-SOUTH FULTON- SPALDING-STEWART-SUMTER-TALBOT-TALIAFERRO-TAYLOR-TELFAIR-TOOMBS- TOWNS-TREUTLEN-TROUP-TWIGGS-UNION-UPSON-WALKER-WALTON-WARREN- WASHINGTON-WEBSTER-WHEELER-WHITE-WHITFIELD-WILCOX-WILKES- WILKINSON- 549 AM EST TUE FEB 1 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE TONIGHT ACROSS NORTH AND CENTRAL GEORGIA. .SYNOPSIS... A VIGOROUS STORM SYSTEM OVER TEXAS WILL MOVE INTO THE OHIO VALLEY AND PUSH A COLD FRONT ACROSS THE STATE TONIGHT. .PRIMARY HAZARDS... THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED BRIEF TORNADOES. THE MOST LIKELY TIME FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE BETWEEN 6 PM AND 3 AM AS STORMS PROGRESS FROM WEST TO EAST. IN ADDITION...STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS OVER 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF NORTH GEORGIA WHICH MAY BRING DOWN TREE LIMBS OR SHALLOW-ROOTED TREES. .DISCUSSION... ALTHOUGH INSTABILITY WILL BE SOMEWHAT LOW...IT SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR SOME STORMS TO PRODUCE ISOLATED AREAS OF WIND DAMAGE OR BRIEF TORNADOES. MIXED LAYER CAPE VALUES WILL APPROACH 500 OVER WESTCENTRAL GEORGIA THIS EVENING AND WILL SPREAD EAST OVERNIGHT. STORMS ACROSS MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA THIS AFTERNOON SHOULD EVOLVE INTO A SQUALL LINE. WITH THE VERY STRONG LOW LEVEL SHEAR IN PLACE...SOME CELLS WITHIN THIS LINE COULD DEVELOP LOCALIZED ROTATION FROM WHICH ISOLATED WIND DAMAGE OR TORNADOES MAY DEVELOP. THE LINE OF STORMS SHOULD WEAKEN DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS AS THE SHEAR AND INSTABILITY WEAKEN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR A WINTRY MIX IN THE NORTHEAST GEORGIA MOUNTAINS FRIDAY NIGHT. OTHERWISE...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ACTIVATION IS NOT REQUESTED BUT SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER THROUGH THE WEB BY GOING TO WEATHER.GOV/ATLANTA.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 936 PM EST TUE FEB 1 2011 GAZ067>069-078-079-020315- 936 PM EST TUE FEB 1 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR 40 MPH WINDS IN NORTHEAST HARRIS...NORTHERN TALBOT...WESTERN UPSON...PIKE AND EASTERN MERIWETHER COUNTIES UNTIL 1015 PM EST... AT 932 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SHOWERS AND EMBEDDED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM GAY TO 9 MILES WEST OF WAVERLY HALL...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 40 MPH ARE LIKELY AS THESE STORMS MOVE ACROSS THE INDICATED COUNTIES. THESE WIND GUSTS MAY BLOW DOWN SOME TREES...POWER LINES...AND UNSECURED OBJECTS AROUND. 19
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 958 PM EST TUE FEB 1 2011 GAZ056-058-068>070-020330- 958 PM EST TUE FEB 1 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR 35 MPH WINDS IN NORTHERN UPSON...EASTERN PIKE...LAMAR...SOUTHEASTERN SPALDING AND BUTTS COUNTIES UNTIL 1030 PM EST... AT 955 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM ORCHARD HILL...TO ZEBULON...TO THOMASTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 65 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 35 MPH ARE LIKELY AS THESE STORMS MOVE ACROSS THE INDICATED COUNTIES. THESE WIND GUSTS MAY PRODUCE MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND BLOW LIGHT...UNSECURED OBJECTS AROUND. 19
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1002 PM EST TUE FEB 1 2011 GAZ106-108-020330- 1002 PM EST TUE FEB 1 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR PEA-SIZED HAIL AND FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING IN SOUTHEASTERN CRISP AND WILCOX COUNTIES UNTIL 1030 PM EST... AT 955 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ARABI...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 60 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PEA-SIZED HAIL AND FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING FROM ARABI...TO HATLEY...TO ROCHELLE AND ABBEVILLE. 19
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1039 PM EST TUE FEB 1 2011 GAZ109-020415- 1039 PM EST TUE FEB 1 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR 35 MPH WINDS...PEA-SIZED HAIL...AND FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING IN NORTHERN DODGE COUNTY UNTIL 1115 PM EST... AT 1034 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER UNION...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 60 MPH. THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 1/4 TO 1/2 INCH DIAMETER HAIL...WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH...AND FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING AS IT MOVES ACROSS THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY FROM UNION TO EASTMAN TO PLAINFIELD. THESE WIND GUSTS MAY PRODUCE MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND BLOW LIGHT...UNSECURED OBJECTS AROUND. 19
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1042 PM EST TUE FEB 1 2011 GAZ108-020415- 1042 PM EST TUE FEB 1 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR DIME-SIZED HAIL...WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH...AND FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING IN WILCOX COUNTY UNTIL 1115 PM EST... AT 1038 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER ROCHELLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 35 TO 40 MPH AND PEA-SIZED HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM AS IT MOVES FROM ROCHELLE TO ABBEVILLE. FREQUENT CLOUD-TO-GROUND LIGHTNING CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED. THESE WIND GUSTS MAY PRODUCE MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND BLOW LIGHT...UNSECURED OBJECTS AROUND. 19
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA 1110 PM EST TUE FEB 1 2011 GAZ097-098-109>112-020500- 1110 PM EST TUE FEB 1 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR 35 MPH WINDS IN NORTHERN TELFAIR...NORTHERN WHEELER...NORTHERN MONTGOMERY...EXTREME EASTERN DODGE...TREUTLEN AND FAR SOUTHERN LAURENS COUNTIES UNTIL MIDNIGHT EST... AT 1104 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A NARROW LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM CEDAR GROVE TO JAY BIRD SPRINGS...MOVING EAST AT 60 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 35 TO 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS. THESE WIND GUSTS MAY PRODUCE MINOR DAMAGE TO TREE LIMBS AND BLOW LIGHT...UNSECURED OBJECTS AROUND. 19
The Robins AFB radar (KJGX), 82 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:16 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
The Johnson County Emergency Managment Director reported that lightning struck a large oak tree adjacent to a residence on Mintons Chapel Road near Kite. The adjacent structure did not suffer any damage.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Georgia in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Georgia, February 2011
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 282908.